Liquid flow control valve



Feb. 12, 195 7 G. EDWARDS 7 2,781,050

' I LIQUID FLOWCONTROL VALVE 4 Filed Aug. 31, 1955 2 sheets-she t 1 INA/ENTOR GORDON [on mos 14 rroRA/Eys Feb. 12, 1957 G. EDWARDS LIQUID FLOW CONTROL VALVE Filed Aug. 51, 1953 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 m T w W I GoRoo/v [form/e05 /777'0RNE vs United States Patent 6 LIQUID FLOW CONTROL VALVE Gordon Edwards, Victoria, British Columbia, Canada Application August 31, 1053, Serial No. 377,665 6 Claims. Cl. 137-119 This invention relates generally to control valves, and more particularly to a liquid control valve of the type which has an inlet and a plurality of outlet ports and which is designed to direct a liquid, which enters the inlet port under pressure, to each of the outlet ports in turn and for a predetermined time interval.

Valves of this type are known, as may be readily ascertained by reference to the records of the United States Patent Ofiice, and especially class 299, sub-class 27, and class 137, sub-class 119, as presently constituted. Exam: ples of this type of valve are disclosed in U. S. Patent 1,753,240, W. Howell et al.; U. S. Patent 2,081,510, K. R. Smart; U. S. Patent 1,004,726, L. D. Barney; and U. S. Patent 1,889,858, E. Greene et al. This type of valve is useful in many varied applications, intermittent operation of groups of sprinklers in gardens or orchards; intermittent flushing of urinals in office buildings; and intermittent supplying of drinking water to troughs located at various points in a livestock farm; being but a few of a host of possible uses.

The liquid flow control valve of my invention is of a simple yet rugged construction. Itsoperation is controlled by the pressure of a liquid fed through its inlet port, and it will operate equally well whether the liquid comes from a low pressure source, such as is available from a conventional household tap, or a high pressure source, such as a high pressure pump. The device includes a train of reducing gears, a bladed wheel to drive one member of said train, and an outlet port actuating camshaft driven by another member of said train. It is of course possible to drive the camshaft from selected members of said train revolving at diiferent speeds, and

this increases the versatility of performance of the device. My contribution to this art may be generally defined as a liquid flow control valve comprising a liquid-tight casing divided into two compartments; a single inlet port in one of said compartments; a plurality of outlet ports in the other of said compartments; at least one port permitting liquid flow between said one compartment and said other compartment, and mechanism for directing to each of the outlet ports in turn, and for a predetermined interval of time, a liquid which enters said inlet port under pressure. This directing mechanism comprises a bladed wheel rotatably mounted within said one compartment in a position where liquid which enters the inlet port under pressure will impinge upon the blades of the wheel and cause the Wheel to rotate; a train of reducing gears mounted within said casing; a camshaft rotatably mounted within said other compartment, the camshaft carrying at. least one cam, said cam having an arcuate camming surface; the bladed wheel being operatively connected to one of the gears of said train, and the camshaft being operatively connected to a relatively slow-moving member of said train, whereby the camshaft rotates slowly, as compared to said bladed wheel, whenever the bladed wheel is rotated by liquid entering the inlet port under pressure; a strip of resilient material associated with each ice outlet port, one end of each of said strips being mounted at a point adjacent the inner wall of said other compartment, each of saidstrips being swingable about its point of mounting from a position in which it seals its associated outlet port to a position in which it permits flow therethrough; a spring associated with each of said strips, said springs normally biasing said strips to occupy positions in which they sealthe outlet ports; each of said strips extending beyond its associated outlet port, in a direction away from its point of mounting, for a distance suificient to enable said cam to contact the strip and peel it back from its spring-pressed port-sealing position once during each complete revolution of the camshaft.

The outlet ports may be opened by a single cam attached to the camshaft; or a plurality of cams may be employed, whereby the different ports may be opened for different lengths of time. These features will be described in more detail later on in this specification.

In the accompanying drawings which illustrate embodiments of my invention;

Figure 1 is a central vertical cross-section through one embodiment;

Figure 2 is a view of the bottom of the device shown.

in Figure 1 with the bottom cover removed so as to'better show the interior of theoutlet section of the'valve;

Figure 3 is a view of the top portion of the device, shown in Figure 1 with the cover removed in order to better show the inlet section of, the valve;

Figure 4 shows, on an enlarged scale, the outlet ports and a camshaft with a group of four cams which, according to a second embodiment of the invention, may be substituted for the camshaft and single cam shown in Figures 1 and 2; a

Figure 5 is a side view of the device shown in Figure 4, the view in Figure 5 additionally showing parts of the camshaft drive and the casing.

Figure 6 is a top plan view of the four cams employed in Figures 4 and 5;

Figure 7 is a view showing the four cams which could.

be used in the case of a third embodiment of the invention, in which four outlet ports are opened and turned by a group of four similar cams, the arrangement being such that all the ports are successively open for the same interval of time.- 7

Turning first to the embodiment of the invention shown in Figures 1, 2 and 3, reference numeral 10 generally indicates a liquid-tight casing having a cylindrical side wall 11, a removable lid 12, and a removable base 13. Lid 12 and base 13 are bolted to the cylindrical body 11, as shown at the points labelled 14. Rubber gaskets 15 are employed to make sure the casing is Water-tight when assembled.

The casing 10 is divided into an upper compartment 16 and a lower compartment 17 by a horizontal wall 18. Wall 18 is provided with two ports 19 which permit liquid flow between the compartments 16 and 17 of the casing.

A single inlet 20 is provided for upper, compartment 16,.

while compartment 17 is provided with four outlets 21.

A bladed wheel 22 is mounted within upper compartment 16, the wheel being carried by a rotatably mounted shaft 23. The bladed wheel 22 is disposed adjacent the inlet 20 so that whenever liquid enters the inlet under pressure, the liquid will impinge on the blades of the wheel, causing it to rotate, together with its shaft 23. A train of reducing gears, generally indicated by reference number 24, is mounted within the casing just below the wall 18. I do not propose. to describe this train of reducing gears in any detail since such arrangements are well known, and no special type of reducing gearing is called for in the practicing of my invention. A camshaft 25 is rotatably mounted in suitable bearings in the lower compartment 17. Shaft 23 of bladed wheel 22Icarries a pinionwhich meshes with one member ofthe train 24. Camshaft 25 carries at its upper end a gear wheel 26 which meshes with a member of the train of reducing gears 24, whichis relatively slow moving, as compared tothe gear-dr iven-by shaft 23; Thus, as 'willhe readily understood, when-bladed wheel -22 is" caused-- to rotate by water entering inlet 20 under pressure, the camshaft 25 'willbe rotated through the train of reducinggears, but at a much slower speed than thelwheeli The camshaft 25 shown in Figures 1 and 2 carries a single cam 27 which has an arcuate .camming surface 28; V i

The outlets 21 consist of tubular members which extend-through the. cylindrical sidewall of the lower com partment 17 The tubular members are threaded at their 'outer ends 'asindicated at 29, so that they may be coustrip 31'is swingable on its pin 32 from a position in.

which it lies flushly against and sealslthe outlet port it is mounted adjacent to a position in which it permits flow of'liquid through that port. A spring 33 is associated with each of the strips 31, the springs being positioned so as to normally bias the strips 'to occupy positionsin which they seal the outlet ports 30.

Each of the strips 31 extends beyond its associated outlet port 30, in a direction away from the pin 32 for a distance sufficient to enable the cam 28 to contact the strip and peel it back from its spring-pressed port-sealing position as the camshaft 25 is rotated :by the bladed wheel 22.

Preferably, as has been shown in Figures 1. and 2, the

outlets 21, the outlet ports 30, and the strips 31 are equi-.

distantly spaced around the lower compartment 17 The Width cf'the cam at the end where the arcuate camming surface 28 is provided, i. e., the length of the arcuate camming surface, is preferably such that as the trailing edge of the cam releases one of said strips, its 1e ad-, iug edge will contact and begin 'to peel open the nextadjacent strip 31 in the direction of rotation of the camshaft 25. With this preferred; arrangement, one port 30: is alwaysopen to some extent; and since the outlet ports;, are equally" spaced, each outlet port will be open forf' the saine time interval, provided constant pressure is available at the inlet port. The frequency with which the ports are opened isidependent upon the pressure of the liquid entering the portand the reduction ratio used, 'in the .train of gears 24. As will be readily understood,

thes'peedat which, the wheel ZZjdjrive's the camshaft 25 can be increased or decreased by making changes in'the meshing relationship of the gearing 24.

Turning now to' 'Figures 4. m7, I first 'wish'to point out that the mainQd-ifierence between the embodiment shown in these figures and the embodiments shown in Figures 1 and'2 is that thesingle cam 27 is replaced by v 'lfour cams: These fou'; earns have been labelled 27A,

27B; 27G1a'ud 271). in Figures 4 to 7, and their arcuate p as indicated at 'By Suitably cufiinsi yportiens ofthe strips, it is a simple matter to arrange for any given strip 31 to be contacted solely by the one member of the group of four cams which has been selected to control the opening of the given strip.

The total amount of arcuate camming surface providedby the four cams 27A, 27B, 27C and 27D-whether they have arcuate camming surfaces of unequal length as in Figures 4 to.6, orwhether. the cams are similar and have arcuate camming surfaces of similar length as in Figure 7is substantially 3605; Moreover, theusev ral; camming surfaces 28A, 28B, 28C and 28D are arranged Without overlapping when viewed in the direction of the axis ofthe camshaft25; With this arrangement one strip will begin to be peeled open by one of the cams, just'as another strip is released by its cam. Once a cam re-' leases a strip, the strip is, just as in the case of Figures 1 and 2 pressed by its spring 33 into a port-sealing position. However, one port will be open at'all times, since the cams are arranged without overlapping and their arcuate ca nrning surfaces total substantially 360.

The object, of course, of having the arcuatecammin'g surfaces of different lengths, as shown in Figures 4, 5

and 6, is. to provide for the opening of the different ports fbr difierentl lengths of'time. Thus, cam 27D (which has a much longer camming surface 28D than the cam; I

mingpsurface 23A on cam27A) would open its outlet port for an appreciably longer time than 27A would hold its port open,

' -I view the arrangement of Figure 7 as less. preferable than the arrangement of Figures 4 to 6.' Aecor di ugto' Figure 7, the cams are similar and ,each have arcuate cainming surfacesof" the same 1ength,,with the result e that the outlet ports controlled by these cams will each be openedi-tor the same period of-time. HOWever, where" fi o w through the outlet 'ports for equal lengths of time is the desideratum, I presently prefer to use the single camarrangement shown in Figures 1 and 2. 7

With the exception of the use of four cams instead. of the single cam of Figures 1 and 2, and the cutting away of the 'cam-actuated ends of the strips 31 of resilient material, the par-ts of the embodiments shown in Figures 4 to 7 inclusive would be exactly the same'as the parts shown in Figures '1, 2 and 3. it is for that reason that I deeided to shew,-i-n- Figures 4 to 7, only the'b'are essentials and toomit those parts .ofthe apparatus which are already adequately illustrated in Figures 1 to 3. V 7

Before ending this specification, I would like to point outthat the use of; resilient'material to formthe sealing strips for the outlet ports is advantageous inthatthe' strips are not initially moved away from the ports-they 7, seal as ifgthey constituted a rigid-gate," but instead bend withouLdeparti-ng from. the invention.

ammi s surfa e a b en. abe l 2 x283 86 nd respectively. In thec'a'se of Figures 41'and. 6,. the four cams'are; olf unequaljwidth, so thatthe cams have r te emmins ru ac s of d f sli st In. he a Q fisurs: e. ams te f sq i ii t art -a e rmamen u fa es. of q a l n thh z'rA, are; 27:;- a 271) are; IinQunted. one above the ther 1 g m ha t 2 .5 V i 7 L The ends of the. stripsf3 1"ne'aresftthe earns are; cut away,

near their outer ends. as a result of the couple imposed 7 upon them by the oppositely working forces of the. (l

spring 33 which biasesthe strip towards the closed posi tion and 2) the can'r'wh-ich is forcing the strip open. This bending. gives a peeling action w'hich allows liquid to initially escape slowlyt-hr ough. the outletlpor'ftso that 4 there is. gradual, rather thansudden, equalization! of pressure in the partition 17 and the outlet 21- which has just beeniopened. V

While. four out-lets'have been shown inthe drawings, a larger or smaller number could obviously be employed Moreover, delivery of'liqu'idi to a multiplicity of points canbea'ehiev'ed byusing. several of the valves ac'wrding to my tnvention. For exampleby connecting the inlet of a valve imilar o tha shown; in. Fi ures 1 and 2 to asihgl'ewater .sen i e lin connecting a imilar val ve, teleach outlet 2}, of thealine-eonnectedvalve, and eomleoting h out e s o th e addit l: v s o; s l -h ds water; could bedelivered sequentially to sixteen different sprinklers for predeterminable equal intervals-of time. Where it is desired to havesome of the sprinlders fed I for .a longer period than others, the connections de-- scribed just above could be made with the exception that one or more of the valves shown in Figures 4 to 6 could be substituted for the valves according to Figures 1 and 2.

What I claim as my invention is:

1. A liquid flow control valve comprising a liquidtight casing; a wall dividing said easing into two compartments; a single inlet port in one of said compartments; a plurality of outlet ports in the other of said compartments; at least one port permitting liquid flow between said one compartment and said other compartment; and mechanism for directing to each of the outlet ports in turn, and for a predetermined interval of time, a liquid which enters said inlet port under pressure, said mechanism comprising: a bladed wheel rotatably mounted within said one compartment in a position where liquid which enters the inlet port under pressure will impinge upon the blades of the wheel and cause the wheel to rotate; a train of reducing gears mounted within said casing; a camshaft rotatably mounted within said other compartment, the axis of rotation of said camshaft being substantially parallel to the axis of rotation of said bladed wheel, the camshaft carrying at least one cam, said cam having an arcuate camming surface; the bladed wheel being operatively connected to one of the gears of said train, a gear wheel fixed to said camshaft and meshing with a relatively slow-moving gear wheel in said train of reducing gears, whereby the camshaft rotates slowly, as compared to said bladed wheel, whenever the bladed wheel is rotated by liquid entering the inlet port under pressure; a strip of resilient material mounted adjacent each outlet port, one end of each of said strips being mounted at a point adjacent the inner wall of said other compartment, the other end of each of said strips being free and each of said strips being swingable about its point of mounting from a position in which it seals the outlet port it is mounted adjacent to a position in which it permits flow therethrough; and a spring bearing against each of said strips, said springs normally biasing said strips to occupy positions in which they seal the outlet ports; each of said strips extending beyond the outlet port which it is intended to seal, in a direction away from its point of mounting, for a distance suflicient to enable said cam to contact the strip and peel it back from its spring-pressed port-sealing position once during each complete revolution of the camshaft.

2. A control valve as defined in claim 1, in which only one cam is mounted on said camshaft and said one cam contacts each of said strips, and thus opens each of said outlet ports, once during each complete revolution of said camshaft; and in which said outlet ports are equidistantly spaced around said other compartment and said one cam is of such width that, as it releases one of said strips, it contacts and begins to peel open the nextadjacent strip in the direction of rotation of the camshaft.

3. A control valve as defined in claim 1, in which a plurality of cams are carried by the camshaft, the number of cams being equal to the number of outlet ports, and

the cams being mounted one above the other on the camshaft; and in which each of said strips, at the end thereof nearest the cams, is cut away so that each strip will be contacted only by the one cam which has been selected to peel back that strip during rotation of the camshaft.

4. A control valve as defined in claim 3, in which the total amount of arcuate camming surface provided by the plurality of arcuate camming surfaces is substantially 360 degrees, and in which the several camming surfaces are arranged without overlapping when viewed in the direction of the axis of the camshaft, so that one strip will be peeled open by one cam as another strip is released by its cam and spring-pressed to its port-sealing position, and one of said outlet ports will be opened at all times.

5. A control valve as defined in claim 4, in which said outlet ports are equidistantly spaced about said other compartment and said cams have equal arcuate camming surfaces, so that each outlet port will be opened for substantially the same interval of time, assuming substantially constant pressure in the case of the liquid entering the inlet port.

6. A control valve as defined in claim 4, in which said outlet ports are equid-istantly spaced about said other compartment, but some of said cams have arcuate,

camming surfaces of greater length than the others, to provide for flow through the various outlet ports for different time intervals.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,753,240 Howell et al. Apr. 8, 1930 1,889,858 Greene et. Dec. 6, 1932 2,081,510 Smart May 25, 1937 2,642,076 Tigert et a1 June 16, 1953 

